Shimabara Courtesans Exorcizing Demons 1750 - 1799

"Shimabara Courtesans Exorcizing Demons" is a Japanese hanging scroll created by Miyagawa Isshō between 1750 and 1799. The work is a humorous depiction of Shimabara courtesans in Edo period Japan, using their charms to exorcise demons. The painting is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is a popular example of ukiyo-e, the genre of Japanese art depicting the "floating world". The subject matter, composition, and expressive brushwork make it a striking example of Isshō's artistic style.